Bulb socket for panel mounting



May 24, 1966 Filed May 5, 1961 .1. HESS ETAL 3,253,249

BULB SOCKET FOR PANEL MOUNTING 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR-S.

y 1966 J. HESS ETAL 3,253,249

BULB SOCKET FOR PANEL MOUNTING Filed May 5. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 [N VEN TOKS. 165 2 6/ 7, #65

y 24, 1966 L. J. HESS ETAL 3,253,249

BULB SOCKET FOR PANEL MOUNTING Filed May 5. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 M m j.E

VENTOR f Xaaz er jfasa \JZf/{fl 40/717. Z/MdZ/I'ZCG 27%07777e1y UnitedStates Patent 3,253,249 BULB SOCKET FOR PANEL MOUNTING Lester J. Hess,Jasper Long, and Maurice E. Kennedy,

Sturgis, Mich., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Republic IndustrialCorporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 3,1961, Ser. No. 107,368 20 Claims. (Cl. 339-127) a This invention relatesto bulb sockets of the type used to secure the bulb in a desiredposition on a panel.

It is the purpose of the invention to provide a bulb socket that may beused to attach a new type baseless light bulb to a printed circuitpanel.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a bulb socket that maybe inexpensively manufactured from readily available thermoplastic orthermosetting materials on a mass production basis, such as is requiredfor the automotive industry.

The invention comprises a plastic socket or receptacle which containsmetallic contacts that are separated from each other and adapted toengage the respective terminals on a light bulb of the baseless type.The receptacle has an attaching flange for securing it to a panel and insuch position holding the contacts or terminals in elec tricalengagement with the wiring pattern on a printed circuit board.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred form in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a portion of a panel having a hole in whichthe socket of this invention is inserted and mounted;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing the socket in position on a panel,the panel being in section;

FIG. 3 is a view taken from the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 with the light bulbremoved;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the light bulb;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the light bulb taken 90 from the positionof FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view of the socket body taken from position '7 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 8 is a view taken from position 8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a section taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a section takenalong the line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a section taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 12 is a section as along line 11-11 of FIG. 3 but through thecenter of the socket and with the con tacts removed;

FIG. 13 is a section taken along the line 13-13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a view taken along the line 14-14 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a side elevation of the contact element or terminal;

FIG. 16 is a side elevation taken from the back of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is an end elevation taken from the right of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view on the line 18-18 of FIG. 15; and

FIG. 19 is a plan view of the blank from which the contacts of FIGS. 15to 18 are formed.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a section of a printed circuitpanel 1 having a generally circular open ing 3 including diametricallyopposed slots 5. Adjacent the hole 3 are separated conductive elements 7and 9 of a printed circuit. It is desired to connect a light bulb 11across the conductor elements 7 and 9 so as to form a current-carryingcircuit between the two elements. This is done by means of the bulbsocket 13. The bulb 11 is contained within the socket and the terminalsof the bulb are in contact with terminal elements 15 inside the socketwhich are adapted to engage the conductive elements 7 and 9. The socket13 also has a means for holding it in position on the panel 1 so thatthe contacts 15 are maintained in electrical engagement with the panelportions 7 and 9.

The bulb 11 is of a type that is relatively new but available on theopen market, being sold by the General Electric Company, Westinghouse,and others. This bulb has a glass wall chamber 17 which contains thelight filaments (not shown) and these receive electric current from wireterminals 19 and 21 that extend as loops out of a fused wedge-type base23 formed integrally with the chamber 17. The base 23 is generallyrectangular in overall shape and has a roughly cylindrical centerportion 25 and more or less flat side sections 27 and 29, the top andbottom of each of which has a depression or recess 31 with taperedsides. The object of the invention is, of course, to connect the bulbterminals 19 and 21 to the conducting elements 7 and 9 on the panel 1While also supporting the bulb 11 in position on the panel.

The terminals 19 and 21 are electrically connected to the contactelements 7 and 9 by means of metal terminals 15, there being oneterminal 15 for each of the terminals 19 and 21. The terminals 15 areshown in detail in FIG- URES 15 to 19. They are initially formed from aflat blank of the shape shown in FIG. 19 and comprise a spring finger 37and contact portion 35 that engages either the conductive element 7 orthe conductive element 9. This is connected through the finger 37 to theenlarged or widened wing section 39 which has oppositely extending guideportions 41 that will serve to hold the contacts 15 in the receptacle 13as will be brought out hereinafter. Dimples 40 raised from the guideportion 41 of the contact 15 serve to stabilize the guide portions 41 inthe grooves 67 of the socket 13 and maintain a wedging pressure on thelock tongue 51 against wall 63 of socket 13. The lock tongue 51 issubstantially triangularly shaped to form a barbed point which isfrictional- 1y engageable with the side wall 63 of the socket and whichis inclined at an angle to prevent withdrawal of the contact once it isinserted into the socket. A short base section 43 connects the portion39 to the legs 45 which are bent into a U-shaped section 47 as seen bestin FIG. 15. The section 43 also forms a hinge section whereby oppositesides of the terminal are bent toward each other in a U-section so thatin the final form, as appears in FIGS. 15-18, the legs 45 and thesection 39 are parallel to each other. The contact portion 35 is curvedas can be seen in the drawings to provide a more ready engagement withthe conductive elements 7 and 9 and increase the spring action. The legs45 are inwardly formed as seen at 49 to provide C-shaped projectionsthat will engage opposite sides of the bulb base 23 in the recesses 31to provide a flexible or yieldable means for gripping the bulb 11. Thelock tongue 51 is sheared out of the section 39 to form a means operableupon insertion of the contacts into the socket for holding the contact15 in place in the receptacle 13 so that it cannot be readily removed.

Referring now to the structure of the bulb socket or receptacle 13, thiscomprises generally a socket body or base section 55, which is providedwith socket means in the form of a substantially rectangular cavity thatreceives and hold the bulb, and a transversely extending flange section57 having a substantially annular side facing abutmemt surface which isutilized in attaching the bulb in the receptacle 13 to a panel 1.

The base section 55 may be rectangular in shape to conform generally tothe overall configuration of the socket means and of the base section 23of the bulb 11. The socket means in the base 55 is formed by a roughlyrectangular recess or chamber 59. The chamber 59 has a flat bottomsurface 61 and is provided with a bulb clearance and support means inthe form of a circular bulb clearance recess 62. The socket means hasminor sides 63 which are identical and major sides 65 are identical. Ascan be seen best in FIG. 10, the minor sides 63 overlap the major sides65 so as to provide grooves 67 in the four corners of the chamber .59.The walls of the sides 63 are flat as can be seen in FIG. 10 and theside sections 41 of each of the terminals 15 will fit into the grooves67 to hold the contacts 15 in place. The lock tongues 51 on each of thecontacts 15 will dig into the respective walls 63 after the contact hasbeen inserted so that the bottom of the contact engages surface 59 andwill prevent easy removal of the contacts as will be seen in FIG. 9.

Each wall 65 is centrally divided by longitudinally extending ribsprovided with inwardly facing arcuate grooves 69 which terminate in anoutwardly spaced relationship relative to the recess 62. The rib andgroove arrangement 69 comprises a center section which is substantiallycircular in cross section and has its center located at the central axisof the chamber 59 and corresponds in shape and size to the portion 25 ofthe bulb 11. The section 69 flares outwardly at the top of the chamber59 as can be seen in FIG. 12 at 71. On either side of each section 69the wall has a section made up of a top portion 73, an intermediateportion 75, and a bottom portion 77, and as seen best in FIG. 11, theseare stepped with relation to each other so that the bottom sections 77on opposite walls 65 are spaced just far enough apart to receive thebottom of the terminal gripping section 47 on the contacts 15. Therelieved sections 75 and 73 will permit the legs 45 of the contacts 15to deflect outwardly as is also apparent from FIG. 12.

It will be evident that the two contacts 15 are electrically separatedfrom one another in the base section 55 of the receptacle 13; also, thateach of the contacts 15 will be in electrical contact with the terminals19 or 21 of the bulb 11 when the later is inserted in place. Also, thatthe sections 49 of the contacts 15 will engage the recesses 31 on thebulb 11 to yieldably hold it in place inside the receptacle.

The flange section 57 of the receptacle 13 includes a portion to engagethe panel 1 and inner and outer concentric rim portions to guide andsupport the bulb 11. Facing the front of the panel 1 is the annularflange 91 (FIG. 11) which is relieved at 93 so as to form a resilientsubstantially annular abutment surface 95. Locking means are provided topositively locate the socket assembly relative to the panel surface by apair of tapered cam-like projections 97 with ramp surfaces 99 projectingfrom the flange surface 93, FIGS. 8 and 14. When the socket 13 isrotated clockwise in the hole 3 the projections 97 drop into slots 5,FIG. 3, and the perpendicular surfaces on projections 97 prevent furtherrotation in a clockwise direction. The ramp surfaces 99 while partiallyrestricting counterclockwise rotation assist in removal of the socketwhen suflicient torque is applied in a counter-clockwise direction.

In order to engage the back of the panel 1, abutment means in the formof a pair of J-shaped fingers 101 formed in an outer substantiallyannular rim 102 extending transversely from the flange 57 are narrowenough in width to project through the slots in the panel opening 3.Longitudinally extending slots 104 separate each of the J-shaped fingers101 from the outer annular rim to increase the flexibility of thefingers. In order to facilitate manufacture by molding in a simple mold,members 101 are aligned with slots 103 in the flange section 57 (FIG.14). As can be seen best in FIG. 11, member 101 comprises a section 105of the outer annular rim 102 that extends from the flange 57 and areversely bent flange section 107 that extends back toward the flangesection 57, this being formed by molding the slot 109 in the section 101through the use of a core pin extending through the slot 103. Thisparticular formation of the finger 101 gives a substantial amount offlexibility. Additional flexibility is gained by separating the fingers101 from other wall sections of the socket. As seen best in FIG. 2, theend surface 111 of each finger 101 is tapered to form a ramp tofacilitate its engagement behind the panel 1 after it has been insertedin the slot 5 and the receptacle 13 rotated through a sufl-icient angleto permit projections 97 to enter slots 5 bringing members 101 behindthe panel surface. After such rotation, it will be seen that the member13 grips the panel 1 around the edges of the hole 3 by means of theouter peripheral surfaces 95 on the front side and the resilient fingers101 on the back side of the panel.

As can be seen best in FIGS. 9 and 11, the contact ends 35 and theconnecting strips 37 of the terminals 33 are provided with flexing roomin the flange 57 by way of the tapered recesses 113. The contact ends 35project beyond the face of the flange '57 and can be flexed back. Thus,when the receptacle 13 is attached to the panel in the manner justdescribed the respective elements 35 contact the conductive elements 7and 9 of the printed circuit.

The outer annular rim portion projecting from the flange 57 is dividedinto thin partly circular wall sections 117 which are located on adiameter approximately the same as that of the hole 3, the sectionsprojecting into the hole and serving as lateral guides and supports forthe socket 13. Located inwardly of the sections 117 are additionalpantly circular wall sections 119 formed in an inner substantiallyannular rim means and separated by the socket means and the taperedrecesses, and these are only slightly larger in diameter than the bulb11 so that these. Surfaces will serve .as guides and supports for thebulb itself to help prevent movement or rattling of the bulb. At thebottom of the sections 119 are tapered surfaces 121 which, as seen bestin FIG. 11 or 12, are located on an angle such that extensions of thesurfaces 121 would be slightly above the ends of the contact legs 45.The surfaces 121 will act to cam the base of the bulb 11 into thecontacts bulb gripping section 47 and help to properly align the bulbwhen it is being inserted in the socket.

While the operation of the socket is more or less obvious from thepreceding description, it will be noted that the bulb 11 can be readilyinserted in the socket 13 either before or after attachment of thesocket to the panel 1. When the bulb is inserted one side will be incontact with one of the contacts 15 and the other in contact with theother, thus providing an electrical extension of the two bulb terminals19 and 21. The bulb socket 13 is then arranged so that the fingers 101are in alignment with the slots 5 in the panel aperture 3 and thefingers are projected through these slots. Thereafter the socket isrorated so that the fingers 101 engage behind the panel 1. In thisposition the ends 35 of the contacts 15 will engage the conductiveelements 7 and 9 to connect the bulb in the electrical circuit. Thecontact elements 15 through the contact surfaces 35 provide a springaction which will act in conjunction with the action of the resilientfingers 101 and the locking action of the cams 97 to tightly hold thesocket 13 in place on the panel 1.

What is claimed is:

1. A bulb socket comprising a molded plastic member having a centralrecess, means providing grooves on opposite faces of said recess, a pairof contacts seated in said grooves and separated from each other, saidcontacts comprising U-shaped arms extending lengthwise of the recess andhaving bulb receiving openings adjacent the top of the recess, saidcontacts having resilient arms extending out of the recess andtransversely thereof at an angle, said socket having a flange spacedfrom said contact arms, radially outwardly tapered recesses formed insaid molded plastic member and extending from the outer peripheral edgeof said flange to said central recess and providing flexing room in theflange for said resilient arms, said flange having a pair ofdiametrically opposite axially projecting fingers, said fingers beingresilient.

2. A "bulb socket to be projected through an opening in a panel, saidopening having opposed slots in the periphery thereof, comprising amolded plastic body having a face adapted to confront one side of thepanel, said body having a pair of J-shaped molded arms projectingtherefrom and sized to project through the slots in said opening andengage the back of the panel, annular groove means forming an undercutportion in said face and defining a panel abutment surface, the undercutportion of said face of said socket having cams projecting therefrom toengage the front face of the panel and upon rotation of the socket fitinto said slots and hold the socket in angular position, said J-shapedarms and said face gripping the panel on opposite sides to preventremoval of the socket.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 including a substantially circularrim projecting transversely from said face, said arms being formed insaid rim and defined therein by longitudinally extending slots, theouter diameter of said rim being approximately equal to the diameter ofthe opening in the panel and being adapted to project into a panelopening and support the socket therein.

4. A baseless bulb socket comprising a molded plastic member having asubstantially rectangular body and a flange at one end of the bodyextending transversely outwardly from the body, a substantiallyrectangular recess opening out of the flange end of the body, rib meansdividing said substantially rectangular recess into separate contactreceiving portions, arcuate groove means provided on the inner sidesurfaces of said rib means to guide a baseless bulb into the recess, apair of contact elements in the recess in the body on opposite sides ofsaid rib means and being electrically insulated thereby, shoulderportions in the body engaging the contact elements to hold thempositioned within the body, recessed groove means in the recessengageable with the contact elements after predetermined flexingthereof, portions of said recessed groove means extending from saidrectangular recess to said flange, and said contact elements havingresilient contact portions extending out of the recess and transverselythereof within said portions of said recessed groove means to be spacedfrom the flange on the body.

5. A socket for a baseless type bulb having external terminals onopposite sides, said socket being adapted to mount the bulb on a printedcircuit panel and extend through an opening in the panel having slots onopposite sides, said socket comprising an insulative body having aflange at one end larger than the opening in the panel, a pair ofJ-shaped resilient fingers projecting from said flange :and arranged toextend through the slots in the panel, said fingers having cam-shapedends adapted to engage the back of the panel upon rotation of the socketin the opening, said flange having cam surface projections adapted toengage the front face of the panel and upon rotation of the socket toenter said slots and act with said fingers to provide means for tightlygripping the panel around the edge of the opening, said body having arectangularly shaped recess opening out of the flange end thereof andadapted to receive the end of the baseless bulb, central sections of therecess being of reduced width and shaped to conform to the centralsection of the baseless bulb and form a support for it, tapered sectionson opposite sides of the recess tapering toward said central section,circular sections projecting from said flange and located onapproximately the diameter of a bulb and acting to support the bulb whensaid bulb is in said recess, additional circular sections locatedoutwardly of said fingers and of approximately the same size of thepanel opening to project therein and suport the socket therein, oppositeends of said recess having slots in the four corners thereof, the longsides of said recess on opposite sides of said central portion beingstepped in three sections and having the narrowest section at the bottomof the recess, and a pair of contacts seated in said recess and locatedrespectively on opposite sides of said central portions,

t5 each of said contacts being three-sided and having one side extendingin said grooves rat the corners of said recess and said side having anend projecting out of the recess and beyond said flange and adapted toresiliently engage a conductive portion of a printed circuit on the faceof said panel, the base of each of said contacts being fitted in thenarrowest portion of said stepped sides of said recess, the remainingtwo sides of each of said contacts being parallel to the longsides ofsaid recess and adapted to flex into the space provided by the remainingstepped portions and to engage the opposite exposed terminals on a baseof a bulb and resiliently hold such bulb in said recess.

6. A socket for a baseless type bulb having electrical terminals onopposite sides, said socket being adapted to electrically connect thebulb to a printed circuit panel and to be supportingly received withinan opening in the panel, said socket comprising an insulating bodyhaving a flange at one end larger than the opening in the panel, holdingmeans provided on said socket for tightly gripping the panel around theedge of the opening, said body having a rectangularly shaped recessopening out of the flange end thereof and adapted to receive the end ofthe baseless bulb, slots formed in the four corners of said recess, acentral section of the recess being of a reduced width and shape toconform to the central section of the baseless bulb and form a supportfor it, tapered sections on opposite sides of the recess tapering towardsaid central section, circular sections projecting transversely fromsaid flange parallel to the central axis of said recess and providingsurfaces located on approximately the diameter of the bulb and acting tosupport the bulb when the bulb is in said recess, and a pair of contactsseated in said recess and located respectively on opposite sides of saidcentral section, each of said contacts having side portions fastened inthe slots at the corners of said recess, and each of said contactshaving an end projecting out of the recess and beyond said flange andadapted to resiliently engage a conductive portion of the printedcircuit panel.

7. A socket combination for supporting a bulb in an aperture in a paneland electrically connecting the bulb to panel contacts formed on saidpanel, said bulb having a substantially cylindrical body portion andterminating in a reduced base portion having a substantially rectangularconfiguration interrupted by longitudinally extending arcuate ribsprojecting outwardly on opposite sides of the base portion and dividingthe base portion into radially extending flanges having transversegrooves formed therein, the combination comprising: a pair of bulbcontacts adapted to electrically connect the bulb to the panel contacts,each bulb contact comprising a central portion, a resilient panelcontacting arm extending generally transversely to said central portion,a contact tab formed on the end of said resilient arm for electricalengagement with the panel contacts, snap-in type bulb fastening meansintegrally connected to said central portion and adapted to receive thereduced base portion of the bulb; a plastic insulating socket body,socket means formed in said body and being adapted to receive and retainthe pair of bulb contacts in electrically insulated relationship,retaining means operable upon insertion of said pair of bulb contactsinto said socket means to retain said pair of bulb contacts therein, anabutment surface formed about said socket means and extendingsubstantially transversely to the central axis of said socket means forabutting engagement with the panel about the aperture, an outer rim ofsubstantially annular form extending outwardly from said abutmentsurface in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis ofsaid socket means and the aperture in said panel and surrounding saidsocket means, said outer rim having an outer diameter approximatelyequal to the diameter of the aperture in the panel for supportingengagement therewith, inner rim mean of substantially annular formextending outwardly from said abutment surface in a directionsubstantially parallel to the central axis of said socket means and theaperture in said panel and surrounding said socket means, said inner rimmeans having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameterof the cylindrical body portion of the bulb for engagement therewith,groove means intersecting said outer rim and said flange and extendingtransversely from said socket means to a position adjacent said abutmentsurface, the resilient arm of each bulb contact being received in saidgroove means when the bulb contacts are secured within said socket meansand the tab contacts being located in spaced relationship relative tosaid abutment wall, and fastening means to secure the socket combinationin the aperture in the panel with the contact abutment surfaces in aresiliently deformed position of the electrical engagement with thepanel contacts.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 and wherein said fastening meanscomprises resilient arms formed in the outer rim, said arms beingseparated from the rest of the outer rim by substantially longitudinallyextending slots, said resilient arms having reversely bent flangesintegrally formed on the ends thereof and terminating in abutmentsurfaces adapted to engage the panel, and said reversely bent flangesbeing separated from the resilient arms by arcuate slots.

9. The invention as defined in claim 7 and having rib means extendingparallel to the central axis of said socket means and dividing saidsocket means into separate contact receiving portions, and groove meansformed on said rib means to receive and support the reduced base portionof the bulb.

10. In a socket assembly for securing a bulb in an aperture in a panel,a plastic body portion, socket means formed in said plastic bodyportion, a backup flange extending radially outwardly relative to thecentral axis of said socket means from said body portion, an abutmentsurface provided on said backup flange for engagement with one side ofthe panel, an annular rim extending outwardly at right angles from saidbackup flange away from said abutment surface and said body portionsubstantially parallel to the central axis of said socket means, saidrim having an outer diameter approximately equal to the diameter of theaperture in the panel, contact support means provided in said socketmeans to receive and support electrical contacts in electricallyinsulated relationship, longitudinally extending slot means formed insaid outer annular rim and extending from the abutment surface to theend of the rim, a plurality of resilient finger means formed betweensaid longitudinally extending slot means, reversely extending flangesformed on the ends of said finger means, groove means extending parallelto said anular rim and separating said reversely extending flanges fromsaid finger means, and panel abutment surfaces formed on the ends ofsaid reversely extending flanges and facing said abutment surfaces onsaid flange and being spaced therefrom a distance suflicient tofrictionally receive portions of the panel surrounding the panelaperture.

11. The invention as defined in claim 10 and having bulb contactinginner rim means located within said outer annular rim and extendingsubstantially parallel thereto away from said abutment surface and saidsocket means, said bulb contacting rim means having an inner diametersubstantially equal to the outer diameter of the bulb and providing bulbsupport surfaces adapted to engage a substantial portion of theperiphery of the body portion of the bulb.

12. The invention as defined in claim 11 and having :arcuate groovemeans provided in said body portion along opposite inner side walls ofsaid socket means and ex-,

tending longitudinally from a point adjacent the inner rim means of saidsocket means to slidably receive and support the end of the bulb, and aninwardly inclined approach surface connecting the inner surface of theinner rim to said arcuate groove means.

13. The invention as defined in claim 12 and wherein said arcuate groovemeans comprises longitudinally extending ribs projecting into saidsocket means and dividing said socket means into separate contactreceiving portions, and the outer surfaces of said ribs being arcuatelygrooved to provide for mating engagement with the end of the bulb.

14. A socket combination for supporting a bulb in an apertured panel andelectricaliy connecting the bulb to panel contacts formed on the panel,and comprising: a plastic body portion, a backup flange extendingradially outwardly from the body portion, an abutment surface providedon said flange for engagement with one side of the panel, an annular rimextending outwardly at right angles from the backup flange away fromsaid abutment surface and said body portion, said rim having an outerdiameter approximately equal to the diameter of the aperture in thepanel, longitudinally extending slot means formed in said anular rim andextending from the abutment surface to the end of the rim, a pluralityof finger means formed between said longitudinally extending slot means,reversely extending flange portions formed on the ends of said fingermeans and extending radially outwardly beyond the outer surface of saidannular rim, arcuate grooves extending parallel to said annular rim andseparating said reversely extending flanges from said finger means,panel abutment surfaces formed on the ends of said reversely extendingflanges and facing said abutment surface on said flange and being spacedtherefrom a distance sufiicient to frictionally receive portions of thepanel surrounding the panel aperture, a bulb socket formed in said bodyportion within said annular rim, and a bulb contacting and supportinginner rim means located within said first mentioned rim and extendingparallelly thereto away from said abutment surface and said bodyportion, said bulb contacting and supporting rim means having an innerdiameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the bulb andproviding bulb support therefor along a substantial portion of theperiphery thereof.

15. A bulb socket, for supporting a light bulb in electrical contactwith a printed circuit board or the like, comprising a base portionhaving a central recess, contact means mounted in said central recess toreceive the bulb and to electrically connect the bulb to the printedcircuit board, mounting means to secure said socket relative to theprinted circuit board, and annular support rim means integral with saidbase portion and extending outwardly from said central recess and havingan inner diameter approximately equal to the width of the bulb and beingadapted to receive and support the bulb in electrical engagement withsaid contact means.

16. The invention as defined in claim 15 and wherein said rim meanscomprises a plurality of separate annular segments spaced from oneanother by longitudinally extending slot means.

17. A socket, for supporting a light bulb in an opening in a panel orthe like in electrical contact with printed circuitry or the like,comprising a base portion having a central recess, contact means mountedin said central recess to receive the bulb, portions of said contactmeans extending radially outwardly from said central recess andterminating radially outwardly thereof for resilient engagement with thepanel, inclined radially outwardly extending groove means formed in saidbase portion and extending outwardly and being inclined from saidcentral recess to the outer periphery of the socket, said portions ofsaid contact means being located within said groove means in contactwith said socket only at the innermost end of said groove means and inspaced relation to the socket along the rest of the length thereof, andmounting means formed about the periphery of the socket to secure thesocket in the opening in the panel.

18. In a socket, for receiving and electrically connecting a bulb incircuit on a panel or the like, said bulb having a longitudinal axis anda conecting base slidably insertable in said socket by axial movementparallel to said axis, said base comprising a substantially cylindricalcentral portion having radially outwardly extending wing portions withelectrical contact means thereon, the invention comprising: a centralrecess in said socket defined by side wall portions extendingsubstantially parallel to said axis, rib means formed on said side wallportions and extending substantially parallel to said axis and dividingsaid recess into separate contact portions, contact means slidablyinserted in each of said contact portions, and bulb base support meansformed by said rib means and engaging the substantially cylindricalcentral portion and supporting said bulb in said recess with the wingportions of the bulb base extending into said separate contact portionsof the recess for electrical connection of the contact means.

19. The invention as defined in claim 18 and having annular rim meansextending outwardly from said recess, said rim means having an innerdiameter approximately equal to the diameter of the bulb and adapted tosupportingly engage the bulb, and inwardly extending guide meansprovided between said rim means and said support means to guide saidsubstantially cylindrical central portion of the base of the bulb ontosaid support means.

20. In a socket, for receiving and supporting contact means for a lightbulb or the like, the contact means having a substantially rectangularlyU-shaped base portion at one end and C-shaped resilient detent means atthe other end, the invention comprising: a stepped contact recess formedby a bottom portion adapted to abuttingly receive the base portion ofthe contact means, a central portion spaced outwardly of said bottomportion and the adjacent intermediate portion of the contact means, and

a top portion spaced outwardly of said central portion and said detentmeans, said spacing being such as to permit flexing of said contactmeans above said base portion sufiicient to permit a bulb to beassociated with said detent means without further restrictive surfaceengage ment of the contact means with the socket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,786,598 12/1930Broer 339176 X 1,905,843 4/1933 Foulke 339176 X 2,705,308 3/1955 Howard339--61 X 2,742,627 4/1956 Lazzery et a1. 33917 X 2,805,404 9/1957 Oakes33966 2,825,038 2/1958 Woofter 339--17 2,884,609 4/1959 Fraser et a1.339-l7 2,904,772 9/ 1959 Artz 33917 X 2,922,978 1/1960 Engel 339172,953,769 9/1960 Woofter et al. 33917 X 2,971,179 2/1961 Heuer a 339172,976,512 3/1961 Vallee 33994 X 3,015,083 12/1961 Juris 33917X 3,017,5991/1962 Loesch 339--91 3,050,705 8/1962 Benson 33917 JOSEPH D. SEERS,Primary Examiner.

A. S. TRASK, Assistant Examiner.

1. A BULB SOCKET COMPRISING A MOLDED PLASTIC MEMBER HAVING A CENTRALRECESS, MEANS PROVIDING GROOVES ON OPPOSITE FACES OF SAID RECESS, A PAIROF CONTACTS SEATED IN SAID GROOVES AND SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER, SAIDCONTACTS COMPRISING U-SHAPED ARMS EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE RECESS ANDHAVING BULB RECEIVING OPENINGS ADJACENT THE TOP OF THE RECESS, SAIDCONTACTS HAVING RESILIENT ARMS EXTENDING OUT OF THE RECESS ANDTRANSVERSELY THEREOF AT AN ANGLE, SAID SOCKET HAVING A FLANGE SPACEDFROM SAID CONTACT ARMS, RADIALLY OUTWARDLY TAPERED RECESSES FORMED INSAID MOLDED PLASTIC MEMBER AND EXTENDING FROM THE OUTER PERIPHERAL EDGEOF SAID FLANGE TO SAID CENTRAL RECESS AND PROVIDING FLEXING ROOM IN THEFLANGE FOR SAID RESILIENT ARMS, SAID FLANGE HAVING A PAIR OFDIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE AXIALLY PROJECTING FINGERS, SAID FINGERS BEINGRESILIENT.